The Adventures of Poor Mrs. Quack eBook

“I wouldn’t mind a little of it myself,”
said Sammy. “Well, I must go along to hunt
up Blacky. Good-by, Peter.” “Good-by
and good luck,” replied Peter. “I’ve
always said you are not half such a bad fellow as
you try to make folks think you are, Sammy Jay.”

“Thanks,” said Sammy, and started for
the Green Forest to look for his cousin, Blacky the
Crow.

XV

THE HUNT FOR MR. QUACK

In spite of her hopelessness in regard to Mr. Quack,
there is no doubt that Mrs. Quack felt better that
night after she had eaten the corn left among the
rushes of the Smiling Pool by Farmer Brown’s
boy. Now she had that very comfortable feeling
that goes with a full stomach, she could think better.
As the Black Shadows crept across the Smiling Pool,
she turned over in her mind Sammy Jay’s plan
for helping her the next day. The more she thought
about it, the better it seemed, and she began to feel
a little ashamed that she had not appeared more grateful
to Sammy when he told her. At the time she had
been tired and hungry and discouraged. Now she
was beginning to feel rested, and she was no longer
hungry. These things made all the difference
in the world. As she thought over Sammy’s
plan, she began to feel a little hope, and when at
last she put her head under her wing to go to sleep,
she had made up her mind that the plan was worth trying,
and that she would do her part.

Bright and early the next morning, Sammy Jay and Blacky
the Crow were in the Big Hickory-tree near the Smiling
Pool ready to start for the Big River to hunt for
Mr. Quack. Peter Rabbit had been so afraid that
he would miss something that he had stayed near the
Smiling Pool all night, so he was on hand to see the
start.

It had been agreed that Mrs. Quack was to go to a
certain place on the Big River and then swim up as
far as she thought it would be of any use. She
was to stay in the middle of the river, where she
would be quite safe from hunters with terrible guns,
and where also these same hunters would be sure to
see her and so not be tempted to shoot at Blacky the
Crow if he happened to fly over them. You see,
they would hope that Mrs. Quack would swim in near
enough to be shot and so would not risk frightening
her by shooting at Blacky.

When Mrs. Quack had finished her breakfast, she started
for the Big River, and her stout wings moved so swiftly
that they made a whistling sound. Sammy Jay and
Blacky the Crow followed her, but though they flew
as fast as they could, Mrs. Quack had reached the
Big River before they had gone half the way. When
they did get there, they saw Mrs. Quack out in the
middle, swimming about and watching for them.
Blacky flew across the river and pretended to be hunting
for food along the farther bank, just as every hunter
knows he often does. Sammy Jay did the same thing
on the other bank.

Mrs. Quack swam slowly up the Big River, keeping in
the middle, and Blacky and Sammy followed along up
the two banks, all the time using their sharp eyes
for all they were worth to find Mr. Quack hiding among
the broken-down rushes or under the bushes in the
water, for the Big River had overflowed its banks,
and in some places bushes and trees were in the water.